Another food safari and another BBQ crawl with my son-in-law (we're both aspiring pitmasters and…read morelove to try new places together; it's our thing). This week's excursion brought us to Struggletown BBQ in Mount Sinai, NY. From what I learned, what started as a food truck morphed into a brick-and-mortar business that has obviously hit its stride. This place is awesome! On the table this time was a "Big John Sampler", a 1/4# platter of brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and ribs, as well as a side of chicken wings in an Alabama White Sauce and corn bread. Absolute winners all around. My first real introduction to corn bread was from Paul Prudhomme's cookbook "Louisiana Kitchen," where I learned to make, and love, a traditional southern corn bread (moist, flaky, and somewhat sweet). Of all the places that I've been to, in my humble opinion, this place has the best outside K-Paul's. There is a reason that it's one of the most requested items from the restaurant. It was excellent! Why am I making a fuss about cornbread? Because it's the details that make a restaurant great. Next came the chicken wings in Alabama White Sauce. I'm now a convert. Sure, I've had it a few times, but this version was eye-opening! Perfectly smoked, then fried chicken wings slathered in this red-sauce alternative was an epiphany for me. I don't think I'll ever look at the humble chicken wing the same way again. I am spoiled for life! Goodbye Buffalo, hello Decatur (where the sauce reputedly originated). Yeah, that good and worth traveling for. The meats? What you want from a BBQ joint. The brisket, pulled pork, and chicken were all juicy and smoked to perfection; the ribs had a smoke ring that made me jealous of their skill set (I'll get there one day). Have I said "awesome? yet? Plenty of parking, all cards, and they cater! This is one of those places that you'll want to day trip to if you're jonesing for some smoky greatness. Very nice people behind the counter and a magician working the pits. You gotta go here. Just not on a Monday, they're closed.

We went here for mother's day I like their mission, however their brisket was kinda dry. We also…read morehad the ribs and mac & cheese which were pretty good. Their service is great everyone there was friendly and we got our food pretty quickly. We also had the cornbread, coleslaw and beans.

Very good food price was good set up was great and cooks and servers where excellent they made my…read moreparty a big hit without me going crazy trying to get it all done so worth the price

Excellent service. On time.. Courteous and much more helpful than the contract suggests. Make…read moresure to ask for Brian

they helped us throw an amazing July 5 party! they were so nice ! the staff was so kind friendly…read moreand helpful the food was exceptional! thanks again for your wonderful food and help!

"Up in Smoke" (UIS) is a fitting name for this business. It is a term used when a plan fails or…read morecomes to nothing. It is also a term used to describe something destroyed by fire. I wish I could say fire was used in the preparation of the food I sampled, but it may have not been used. I take you to the 4th of July 2023. I attended a party which used brisket purchased from this business. A business that falsely describes, on its corporate web site, its brisket as "smoked brisket". See attached picture from company web site. Note: brisket is the most popular meat for smoking, followed in popularity by pork butt, pork shoulder and ribs. The UIS brisket had zero smoked flavor, and tasted and looked like pot roast (brisket is always sliced against the grain and this was not the case here. There were strings of meat when it fell apart). It had the texture of a chuck roast, cooked as pot roast and then sliced in the shape of brisket slices, though not as long. I emailed an owner named Jeff a few days later to voice my concern. He's apparently in denial. Claims the brisket is now Au Ju's style. Meaning, Cooked in liquid. Conveniently not mentioned on their web site. Again, see picture from web site taken today. Au Ju's is kept a secret from those browsing the web site. Why would a bbq business prepare the most popular smoked cut of meat a different way? I don't know. I can speculate two possibilities. One is laziness. Smoking takes time and effort. Throwing brisket in liquid to cook is easy, yet yields horrible bbq results. The other is difficulty smoking wherever they were smoking. Neighbors often complain about smoke in the air. Happened to Smokin' Al's in Massapequa. Their proper solution for Al's was to smoke food elsewhere. Back to the situation at hand. So Jeff tells me that they sell 3000 pounds of brisket annually and I am the first to complain it isn't smoked by a business built on and around smoke. Laughable. I offered to bring in samples of the alleged beef brisket to demonstrate that it is probably fake and chuck roast instead but my offer was ignored. That says a lot about this business. Jeff claimed that all customers are notified of the Au Jus preparation and I confirmed that was not the case here.

Hey Long Island, meet Memphis and Texas!! Wow wow woohoo!! Had an incredible experience at Bobbique…read morelet me tell you! Listen, I love smokin BBQ and really enjoy putting in the time for those long cooks as a hobby. So heres my experience and how I came to love this place. Came in on a gorgeous day in May, the BBQ season knocking on the door. I BBQ year round but tis the season is what I'm getting at; and was just jiving for some good smoked BBQ. Thing is I didn't have the time to get a cook going since getting home from work late so we decided to give this well recommended spot a shot. Wow what a great choice and sooo happy we came here!! Some things were ordered were the St. Louis ribs, pulled pork, BBQ chicken, jumbo BBQ chicken wings...sides were collard greens, red potato salad and mac & cheese: and every single item was outstanding. All came with the staple corned bread. I wish could have ordered the whole menu, everything looked great but sort of "aimed in the middle" I suppose. The ribs were tender, with a perfect bite pull. Great smoke flavor..just was a real nice rib. The pulled pork was juicy, and the BBQ chicken and their jumbo wings were on point; crispy skin and juicy meat. The collard greens, potato salad and mac & cheese were great sides to complete but they have much more sides to choose from let me tell you. Had a really unique experience and one of my highlights of the visit was having the pleasure and opportunity to meet and take a quick tour with chef and owner Eric, who takes real pride in what he does. It's immediately clear the passion, dedication, and respect he has for the craft of true smoked BBQ. Whats important to understand is how difficult it is to master smoked BBQ. Authentic smoked BBQ is NOT fast food!! Brisket alone can take anywhere from 12-18 hours to cook properly, and unlike many other styles of cooking, mistakes cannot simply be fixed quickly. If pasta is overcooked, you make another batch. If a steak is undercooked, you throw it back on the grill. If a sauce is under seasoned you can adjust it..etc BBQ doesn't work like that! To use brisket again..If a brisket dries out after an hours long cook (mostly started overnight before the restaurant even opens) that entire piece of meat is basically gone. You cannot "undo" it. List goes on for everything else... Quality BBQ is hard to come by, especially outside places like Memphis and Texas. Real BBQ is one of the few forms of cooking where the chef is controlling a live fire, timing, airflow, smoke, temperature, and consistency all at the same time. You gotta appreciate this stuff! Ladies and gentlemen, Bobbique is one of those unique places that truly respects the craft. This place is firing on all cylinders! You will taste the experience, patience, and hard work in every bite. I 100% definitely recommend making this your go to for great BBQ. Absolutely worth the visit. I can't wait to come back to this spot!

Smoked brisket is amazing! Baked beans are great …read more We like the collard greens too . Waitress warned us there a little different then some places because they are sweet. Everything was delicious and the service was great. I honestly don't understand why this place doesn't get a higher rating. I've been to way worse places that had much higher reviews on yelp.

Simply put: you will not find better barbecue this side of the Mason Dixon Line. Put your cravings…read morefor all things smoked goodness in the incredibly talented hands of Chef David, his expertly prepared meals will have you and your guests thinking you've been transported to Hill Country. Melt in your mouth brisket, succulent ribs, amazing sides and so much more - I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

My family and I are huge foodies, and we've made it a point to try some of the best BBQ spots all…read moreover NYC and Long Island. I can honestly say that **Smokin' Maverick BBQ** served the best brisket we've ever had! The flavor was absolutely incredible--rich, smoky, perfectly seasoned, and unbelievably tender. It literally melted in our mouths. Every bite was better than the last, and we kept looking at each other saying, "Wow!" What made the experience even better was meeting Dave, the chef and owner. He was incredibly welcoming, accommodating, and genuinely passionate about his food. You can tell he takes great pride in every dish he serves. If the brisket is any indication of the quality of the rest of the menu, I can't wait to come back and try everything else. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for authentic, top-notch BBQ. We'll definitely be back!

This barbecue food truck has been on the Stony Brook campus since Fall 2012, and over the past few…read moremonths I've tried several of their sandwich and side items, with mixed results. I'll say 3 stars, but to be honest I'm feeling generous. - Pulled Pork Sandwich + coleslaw side ($6.50): This sandwich is pretty decent: pulled pork with a flavorful barbecue sauce served on a soft potato roll (presumably Martin's). It's basic, but the flavors should speak for themselves. I've always gotten it with the coleslaw on the sandwich, which has been a nice contrast against the pork. - Smoked BBQ brisket sandwich + coleslaw side ($8): As a sandwich, basically inedible. The whole point of barbecue brisket is to convert the tough, collagen-packed connective tissue in the meat into smooth, silky, tender gelatin, which takes hours of slow cooking over low heat. In this case, however, four of five strips of uncooked or par-cooked brisket were browned on the flattop, then placed on a potato roll and drizzled with sauce. Upon biting into the sandwich, my incisors stopped hard at the meat layer, unable to cut through. After a few more attempts from different angles, I gave up and disassembled the sandwich. I was able to tear apart the meat strips with my teeth and chew the muscle fibers with my molars, but it was (literally!) tough going even then. I left behind the 1 1/2 strips that were just unrendered slabs of fat. I guess the flavor was fine, but it was hard to focus on it with all the mechanical problems; my hands did smell smoky for the rest of the afternoon, so that's something. To top it off, the miniscule container of coleslaw I received on the side was only about half-full, containing at most 2 1/2 forkfuls of salad. - Baked Pit Beans with Bacon ($3.50): Had as a side with the Pulled Pork sandwich. Nice, creamy beans in a balanced sauce, but nothing spectacular. I didn't discern any actual bacon pieces, but maybe the sauce is made with the drippings. - Mac-N-Cheese ($4): Although the sauce was sufficiently cheesy and creamy, this suffered from the same problem that all standing pasta dishes have: over time, the pasta absorbs more and more moisture from the sauce and becomes increasingly mushy. The macaroni elbows in this were still solid, but pretty limp by the time I ate them; this is probably better earlier in the day. - Classic Pork Dumplings ($4.25): 5 generic dumplings, microwaved and browned up on the flat top. The browning wasn't extensive enough to add any additional flavor, though, so all I tasted was meatiness from the pork and a lot of saltiness (assisted by the ponzu sauce). I'll probably keep coming back here for lunch occasionally, but I think I'll stick to the pulled pork sandwich, and maybe the beans too if I'm especially hungry.

Guy was friendly. But sandwich was debatable. Wasnt expecting too much from a food truck but this…read morewas sub par. Frozen meat, spicy nacho cheese sauce and onions on a boring bun would embarrass New Orleans or Philadelphia or anywhere this cheese steak was claimed to be inspired from. Fries looked good. Might try them in the future if I catch the truck around.

First time they got my order wrong I brought it back, only to get second order wrong. Food was just…read moreok.

Easily the best decision I made for my kids combined backyard party was hiring grill boys food…read moretruck to cater! Without ever having tried their food (found them through googling food trucks for parties) they exceeded all expectations! Our guests couldn't stop raving about the amazing food, a favorite was the pepper Jack burger! Their fries, grilled cheeses, tacos, everything was fresh, different and delicious! They were super fast at getting everyone their orders too. They were professional, reliable and easy to work with from the start. I can't recommend them enough!

The owner was very pleasant and accommodating during my first visit. He explained everything…read moreclearly and is very passionate about his food. The portions were generous and the restaurant was nice and clean. This is a takeout establishment and there is parking. I'm looking forward to digging into my meal, which will be enough for lunch and dinner... UPDATE, the food is absolutely delicious. This place definitely lives up to the hype. It puts all other barbecue spots to shame. The chicken is so juicy and flavorful even without the barbecue sauce. The garlic mash is well-made and seasoned properly and the mac & cheese is gooey and creamy. I will definitely refer my family members to this place in the future.

My photos below don't do this place justice. Joe at Bitterman's gives you so much food that, unless…read moreyou're a bodybuilder, there's no way you're carrying it home without using both hands! I've eaten barbecue all over the country--from New York to Texas, including Austin and Houston--and I never expected some of the best BBQ I'd ever have to be right here in West Babylon on Long Island. Everything is smoked fresh twice a day: once for the lunch crowd and again for dinner. You can absolutely taste the difference. The ribs, pulled pork, and chicken are unbelievably tender, juicy, and packed with smoky flavor. The meat practically falls off the bone, with just the right amount of fat to keep every bite moist and flavorful. I also recommend the mashed potatos with beans on top, and the chili mac & cheese. Get the BBQ trifecta like I did and I promise you'll be glad you did. The cornbread deserves its own mention. It's incredibly moist and delicious. My favorite way to eat it is lightly toasted until it's golden brown with a generous spread of creamy butter, but it's fantastic straight out of the bag too. The BBQ sauce ties everything together perfectly. It has a rich, smoky flavor with just the right balance of sweetness and tang. It's so good that you'll find yourself putting it on everything without overpowering the meat itself. What really sets Bitterman's apart, though, is the value and the hospitality. Joe clearly takes pride in what he serves, and it shows in every tray that comes out of the kitchen. He is such a nice guy too! The portions are enormous (there was enough for tonight and tomorrows dinner with my wife), the quality is consistently outstanding, and you leave feeling like you got far more than you paid for (you can't say that about many other restaurants these days). If you're looking for authentic, top-quality barbecue on Long Island, stop searching. Bitterman's has earned a lifelong customer, and I'll gladly make the drive back again and again. Five stars without hesitation. Stop by and tell them Jason sent you!